Melat Kiros (CO-1) FUND-RAVER
In October 2026, I had the incredible opportunity to organize and produce my first-ever fully curated event: a grassroots benefit concert supporting Melat Kiros' historic campaign for Colorado's 1st Congressional District.
As someone whose entire career sits at the intersection of music, advocacy, and community organizing, it was an honor to bring people together and inspire meaningful change in our local politics.
The idea was simple: bring together Denver's electronic music DJs and fans with Melat’s supporters and volunteers for a night that was equal parts celebration, political action, and good ol' fashioned FUN. At a time when so many people are feeling exhausted, confused, and (sometimes) downright hopeless about the state of our politics, I wanted to create a space that reminded people of something incredibly important, that hope is not yet lost.
Putting this event together was no small feat. Between coordinating artists, finding a venue, organizing fundraising efforts, promoting the show, and bringing together a community of people willing to donate their time and talents, there were a LOT of moving pieces.
But man... did it all come together.
An upcycled hoodie I made from a campaign volunteer T-shirt for the auction
Throughout the evening, people kept coming up to me to share how moved they were by the atmosphere we had created. They talked about how hopeful, inspired, and empowered they felt. How refreshing it was to experience political engagement rooted in joy, community, and possibility rather than fear and frustration. And THAT was exactly what I had hoped to accomplish. Because while raising money for a political campaign is important, I believe that building a culture where people actually WANT to participate, organize, and fight for a better future is just as important.
I couldn't be more grateful to the artists who donated their talents, the community members who showed up, and everyone who helped turn this idea into a reality.
A sold-out show. $5,000 raised. And a room full of people leaving with a little more hope than they walked in with.
We set out to sell 75 tickets, and before the end of the night our total was somewhere around 85… which technically is a SELL-OUT?!? Between the ticket sales, a fundraiser auction I put together, and a cash call asking for donations I hosted in the middle of one of the sets, the show raised $5,000 in support of Melat's campaign!!!
I'm incredibly proud of those numbers, and I am proud of my constant evolution in community organizing. This event gave me a peek into the world of event curation, and it did take a lot out of me to turn my ideas into a genuinely successful fundraiser. Between artists backing out at the last minute, finding a venue willing to donate their space, and finding a time that worked for everyone (Melat included), I definitely pushed myself. But being able to show once again how powerful our music community can be when we come together for a cause is an opportunity I won’t ever shy away from.
What made this night so special to me wasn't just the money we raised or the tickets we sold. It was the energy in that room.
Click on the picture to be taken to the video recap from the team!